Epigenomic Reprogramming as a Driver of Malignant Glioma

Malignant gliomas are central nervous system tumors and remain among the most treatment-resistant cancers. Exome sequencing has revealed significant heterogeneity and important insights into the molecular pathogenesis of gliomas. Mutations in chromatin modifiers-proteins that shape the epigenomic landscape through remodeling and regulation of post-translational modifications on chromatin-are very frequent and often define specific glioma subtypes. This suggests that epigenomic reprogramming may be a fundamental driver of glioma. Here, we describe the key chromatin regulatory pathways disrupted in gliomas, delineating their physiological function and our current understanding of how their dysregulation may contribute to gliomagenesis.